The Seattle Thunderbirds and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington & Alaska (RMHC) host Hockey Challenge 2018 on Saturday, Feb. 24, at the accesso ShoWare Center.<\/p>\n
The T-Birds play the Everett Silvertips at 6:05 p.m., followed by the local Celebrity and T-Birds Alumni All-Star Game.<\/p>\n
The All-Star game will feature Team O’Neill vs. Team Slickhawk.<\/p>\n
Team O’Neill will be coached by Spike O’Neill from the “Nate & Spike Show” afternoons on KZOK 102.5 FM. Team Slickhawk will be coached by Matt “Slickhawk” Mikolas from the “Morning Show” on Sportsradio 950 KJR.<\/p>\n
Bretton Chitwood, the Hockey Challenge 2017 Kid Captain, grew up playing hockey in Bellingham. He was diagnosed with bone cancer two years ago and had to have his right foot amputated and undergo chemotherapy. At Hockey Challenge 2018, the T-Birds will welcome Chitwood back to play in the all-star game.<\/p>\n
Former Seattle Totems greats Guyle Fielder and Tom McVie will be in attendance. Fielder will hold an autograph signing for a new book about his hockey career in Seattle, “I Just Wanted To Play Hockey.” The book will be available to purchase.<\/p>\n
The T-Birds are producing Hockey Challenge jerseys for Fielder and McVie that will be autographed and auctioned off.<\/p>\n
Former T-Birds, including Jamie Huscroft, Jim McTaggart, Lloyd Shaw and Tyler Alos will be divided up among Team O’Neill and Team Slickhawk.<\/p>\n
There will be five Challenge games before the T-Birds vs. Silvertips game.<\/p>\n
This is the 20th anniversary of the Hockey Challenge, which began when hockey-playing Microsoft employees, with the help of the Thunderbirds, took an in-house rivalry public and decided to raise money for RMHC. Since its inception, the challenge has raised more than $6 million for RMHC, which provides a “home-away-from-home” for children and their families during medical treatment, making each day a little easier.<\/p>\n